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September 22nd, 2007
This weekend, it officially becomes fall. With the changing of the seasons, now, more than ever, it’s important to protect your firearms from rust and corrosion. For guns stored in a safe or enclosed locker, a GoldenRod unit is a must-have accessory. The GoldenRod, marketed as a dehumidifier, is a small, low-wattage electric heating element you place in the safe. Running 24/7 at 140° F, the GoldenRod warms the air in your safe. This changes relative humidity and raises the dew point in the safe so water vapor does not condense on your arms and valuable accessories. When combined with Desiccant packs that absorb moisture, the GoldenRod is extremely effective at keeping your guns rust-free during long-term storage. We do recommend wiping down your guns with Boeshield, Eezox, or Corrosion-X before putting them in storage. These are three of the best corrosion-inhibiting metal coatings you can buy.
Now through September 30, 2007, MidwayUSA offers the 18″ GoldenRod heating unit (item 614184) for just $16.99, marked down from $19.99. This is rated for up to 200 cubic feet safe. All GoldenRods come with a detachable plugs for easy installation.
September 20th, 2007
For better accuracy and more consistent tracking, it is important to match your rear sand bag to the profile of your stock. Some stocks are curved on the bottom of the buttstock (also called the “toe”), while others have a flat, ranging from 3/8″ wide to as much as 3″. Additionally, the amount of down-angle or “drop” in a stock can vary considerably. Traditional hunting stocks have a lot of drop, whereas a 1000-yd BR stock may have “zero drop” — meaning they are completely straight from the bottom of the grip to the buttplate.
Stocks with a flat on the bottom rear normally work best in a sandbag that has a slot between the ears. (See photos below, courtesy Forum member Rayjay.) NOTE: Ideally, you do not want the flat resting directly on the stitching–it’s better to have the bottom of the stock contacting the sides of the ears a little bit above the center seam (Read comments). But you still need spacing between the ears to get the right fit–it should not be so tight as to pinch or “grab” the stock unevenly as seen in the second photo. With a more conventional round-bottomed stock, with a radiused toe, you’ll probably get best results from a bag with taller ears, and you should experiment with spacing.
Recently, Forum member Jon complained that his rifle was not tracking well, and needed to be re-positioned after every shot. Jon’s rifle has an HS Precision stock with a radius and quite a bit of drop. He was having the problem because he was using a bag with ears that were too short. See below.
Jon will have better results with a bag with taller ears and more spacing. Rayjay explains why Jon’s rifle wasn’t tracking well: “Everytime you fire the rifle the sand in the ears gets displaced. Then when you slide the rifle forward and work the bolt, etc., the sand moves around some more. Then on the next shot it displaces again… it is not consistent shot to shot.”
Jon also had a sling swivel stud on the rear underside of his stock. Swivel studs, both front and rear, can hang up on sandbags, causing a variety of problems. Ideally, when shooting with sandbags, remove the swivel studs. If that’s not possible, at least adjust your fore-end so the front swivel stud will NOT contact the front bag at all, and adjust the rear bag so that the swivel stud is not dragging between the ears.
September 16th, 2007
Experienced handloaders consider many factors in determining loads for their rifles: type and amount of powder, primer “hotness”, brass strength in the web area, case neck tension, bullet weight, diameter and bearing surface, freebore length, seating depth, barrel land/groove configuration, and ambient temperature. Some folks even compensate for the altitude and humidity at the range. That pretty much covers it right? Wrong. You can get in BIG Trouble if you don’t account for barrel fouling as well.
Barrel fouling is not often discussed in reloading articles. Yet barrel fouling (both carbon and copper) can dramatically increase pressure inside a bore. It can do this in many ways. First a build-up of carbon ahead of the throat can increase pressures by constricting the bore. Likewise, heavy copper build-up can constrict the bore over a significant amount of its length. This means the bullet is being driven through what is, effectively, a smaller hole. As well, even a light layer of copper can increase friction. Added friction means more heat, and heat and pressure are directly related.
If you have a barrel that fouls heavily, and you need to shoot 20+ rounds with no opportunity to remove the fouling (say during a match), you should adjust your loads down so they are safe when the barrel is fouled. Don’t assume that a load which is safe in a “squeaky clean” bore will remain safe as your bore gets heavily fouled. This is especially true with non-lapped factory barrels with heavy “chatter marks” from machining. Look at this photo, provided by Forum member Clark. It shows the SAME load (identical bullet and powder charge) fired in the same barrel, at progressively heavier levels of copper fouling:
Pretty scary, right? Cartridge ‘C’, fired in a heavily coppered barrel, shows signs of catastrophic case failure, as well as damage to the primer. By comparison, cartridge ‘A’ merely shows some cratering, but the primer pocket edges are still rounded. ‘A’ is probably at the upper limit of a safe load. ‘C’ is at truly dangerous overpressure–with the same amount of powder in the case. The only difference was the amount of fouling in the barrel–particularly heavy copper.
August 30th, 2007
 Is an FFL required to ship a long gun out of state? Can you use the U.S. Mail to ship firearms? Can you ship guns directly to a manufacturer for repairs?
Answers to these and many other questions are provided in a convenient Firearms Shipping FAQ created by Gunbroker.com, the leading online firearms auction site. The article does a decent job summarizing applicable Federal law and includes handy links to the statutes themselves so you can read them word for word.
| 48″ MidwayUSA ‘Quick Ship’ Box, #897166, $15.99. A foam-lined double-cardboard box offers some protection for your firearm. But we recommend you put valuable pistols and long guns in a sturdy plastic or metal hard case, INSIDE a cardboard shipping container. Make sure the contents can’t move around inside the box. Always insure for full replacement value (including tax and transfer fees). Photograph the gun BEFORE it’s shipped so you can document its original condition should it arrived damaged. |
We find that folks are often confused between the rules for handguns and long guns. Handguns may NEVER be shipped through the U.S. Mails unless you are an FFL holder. By contrast, a “civilian” (i.e. non license-holder) CAN ship a rifle or shotgun via the U.S. Postal Service. In fact the USPS may be the most economical and reliable shipping choice for long guns these days.
Another common misconception is that you need the services of an FFL for outbound shipping of a firearm. While placing your outbound shipment in the hands of an FFL-holder can have some benefits, if the recipient is a valid Federal FFL, and you have received a copy of his license for verification, you CAN ship a long gun yourself to the address on the license. You can also ship a handgun directly to an FFL holder (or the manufacture for repair), but you must use a common carrier such as FEDEX or UPS. (Only a licensed manufacturer, dealer, or importer can legally ship a handgun via the US Post Office.)
August 28th, 2007
 Here’s a great do-it-yourself project for the winter. Texan Robert Lewis made himself a great portable reloading bench from plywood mounted to a Black & Decker Workmate. The bench, roughly 22″ x 19″ on top, folds up to fit easily in your car’s trunk or behind the seats in a pick-up truck cab. Four recessed bolts hold the wood top section to the collapsible B&D Workmate.The sides and back of the unit are attached to the base with small nails. There is a small shelf (also nailed in place) which can be used to clamp a powder measure or hold a scale. Shown in the photo is a Harrell’s Benchrest measure and Harrell’s single-stage “C” press.
Click for Larger Photo.
The whole unit can be built for about $65.00 with pine, or $80.00 with oak (as shown). Robert explained: “The Workmate was $40. If someone bought a 2’x4′ sheet of 3/4″ oak plywood, I think it is around $30. Using pine plywood would be about half that. Fasteners were $3. Spar Urethane would be $5.”
Robert told us: “I used a couple ideas I found on the web. The Larry Willis website gave me the idea to use the Black and Decker Workmate as a base. I found the Workmate on sale for $40 and the top is made from oak plywood I had in my shop. I sealed the wood with three coats of Spar Urethane. The whole thing folds into a nice package for transportation to and from the range.” Click Here to view a set of plans.
August 13th, 2007
Let’s say you’ve purchased a new scope, and the spec-sheet indicates it is calibrated for quarter-MOA clicks. One MOA is 1.047″ inches at 100 yards, so you figure that’s how far your point of impact (POI) will move with four clicks. Well, unfortunately, you may be wrong. You can’t necessarily rely on what the manufacturer says. Production tolerances being what they are, you should test your scope to determine how much movement it actually delivers with each click of the turret. It may move a quarter-MOA, or maybe a quarter-inch, or maybe something else entirely. (Likewise scopes advertised as having 1/8-MOA clicks may deliver more or less than 1 actual MOA for 8 clicks.)
 Reader Lindy explains how to check your clicks: “First, make sure the rifle is not loaded. Take a 40″ or longer carpenter’s ruler, and put a very visible mark (such as the center of an orange Shoot’N’C dot), at 37.7 inches. (On mine, I placed two dots side by side every 5 inches, so I could quickly count the dots.) Mount the ruler vertically (zero at top) exactly 100 yards away, carefully measured.
Place the rifle in a good hold on sandbags or other rest. With your hundred-yard zero on the rifle, using max magnification, carefully aim your center crosshairs at the top of the ruler (zero end-point). Have an assistant crank on 36 (indicated) MOA (i.e. 144 clicks), being careful not to move the rifle. (You really do need a helper, it’s very difficult to keep the rifle motionless if you crank the knobs yourself.) With each click, the reticle will move a bit down toward the bottom of the ruler. Note where the center crosshairs rest when your helper is done clicking. If the scope is accurately calibrated, it should be right at that 37.7 inch mark. If not, record where 144 clicks puts you on the ruler, to figure out what your actual click value is. (Repeat this several times as necessary, to get a “rock-solid”, repeatable value.) You now know, for that scope, how much each click actually moves the reticle at 100 yards–and, of course, that will scale proportionally at longer distances. This optical method is better than shooting, because you don’t have the uncertainly associated with determining a group center.
Using this method, I discovered that my Leupold 6.5-20X50 M1 has click values that are calibrated in what I called ‘Shooter’s MOA’, rather than true MOA. That is to say, 4 clicks moved POI 1.000″, rather than 1.047″ (true MOA). That’s about a 5% error.
I’ve tested bunches of scopes, and lots have click values which are significantly off what the manufacturer has advertised. You can’t rely on printed specifications–each scope is different. Until you check your particular scope, you can’t be sure how much it really moves with each click.
I’ve found the true click value varies not only by manufacturer, but by model and individual unit. My Leupold 3.5-10 M3LR was dead on. So was my U.S.O. SN-3 with an H25 reticle, but other SN-3s have been off, and so is my Leupold 6.5-20X50M1. So, check ‘em all, is my policy.”
August 12th, 2007
 Forum member RidgeRunner has devised a clever shooting support for field use. He calls it the “Pogo Stick”. It’s simply welded stainless rod with a two-pronged base, and a ‘U’-shaped cradle that adjusts for height along a vertical shaft. RidgeRunner tells us: “It is very solid and made from stainless steel so it won’t rust under sweaty hands. The rifle hook, or support, slides up and down the main stem and secures with the knob. It has two prongs you tramp into the ground and is VERY stable. It is shiny, but I have been using this one since about 1983, and I can’t say I have noticed it spooking any whistlers. Before I had an actual bench to shoot off of, I used it to sight-in rifles. I would lay down and use a sand bag under the butt stock. Worked just fine.”
Yep, that’s one big Pennsylvania groundhog in the photo. RidgeRunner reports: “This old boy has been giving me the slip for a couple weeks. I finally got a 52gr A-Max in him before the hay got high enough to hide him again. This sucker weighed 15 pounds. My heaviest to date I believe. The rifle is a Tikka 22/250 with a 4-16X Weaver 1/8-MOA dot scope. Nice and light for carry, nice and accurate too.”
July 28th, 2007
Some of our forum members have observed issues with the Acculab VIC-123, an 0.001g precision electronic balance made by Sartorius. The two main complaints seem to be sensitivity to drafts, and instability of zero, causing weight read-outs to “drift” over time. We have seen the latter problem in less expensive scales such as the PACT. (Read PACT report).
 Forum member Ronemus, who lists his profession as “instrumentation scientist”, offers the following advice:
“It is necessary to isolate the scale from drafts and vibrations. Laboratory scales with this sort of resolution (.001g) generally have a housing around the pan with sliding doors for access and vibration isolators in the feet. Those scales cost thousands of dollars, and some features must be cut to reach a price we’re willing to pay. Unfortunately, the instruction manuals accompanying our scales generally aren’t very good at spelling out the steps necessary to have then operate to our satisfaction.
A small draft (one you can barely feel) can easily shift the reading a few tenths of a grain, so some sort of enclosure is needed. I use a cardboard file box with one end cut out, so 3 sides and the top remain, and that’s good enough for 0.1 gr (6 mg) stability; however, that may not be sufficient for 0.01 gr.
For stable zeros it’s necessary to warm up for at least a few hours (they’re generally left on continuously to avoid drift) and keep the room temperature fairly constant (within a few degrees).
Inexpensive scales are also susceptible to electrical noise, either riding the power line or through the air. Power line noise can be eliminated with a good filtered power strip (I recommend a Tripp-Lite Iso-Bar), not just a surge suppressor. Cordless and cell phones, fluorescent lights, wireless computer networks, baby monitors, etc. can cause problems at short range, so they should be kept away from the scale as much as possible.”
July 20th, 2007
Here is a simple, low-cost way to get reliable readings of case headspace when you “bump” the shoulder back on your 6BR, .243, or .308 Win brass. Credit Boyd Allen for this tip. First, you’ll need one .45acp case, with primer removed. Make sure the .45acp case is trimmed square and that it is round. We recommend you first run it through an expander, then size it, trim it and chamfer. Next, take the .45acp case and slip it over the neck of a fired, unsized case with the primer removed. Align the two cases between the jaws of your calipers and note the length from rim to rim (Top Photo, striped case).
OK, now you have the length for a fired case. Next, take a sized case (without primer) and do the same thing, placing the .45acp over the neck of the FL-sized case (Bottom Photo). The difference between the two numbers is the amount of “bump” or set-back you are applying to the shoulder. Here the difference is .0015″. The amount of bump you need varies with your chamber and your load, but .0015-.002″ is a good initial setting. By using this simple tool, you can avoid bumping the shoulder too much. This will also help you set-up the depth of your full-length die to get the proper amount of bump each time.
July 18th, 2007
 Rich DeSimone uses a handy “Stub Gauge” for setting shoulder “bump” and seating depth. The gauge is made from a section of barrel lopped off when the muzzle is crowned. The chambering reamer is run in about 1/4 of the way, enough to capture the neck and shoulder area of the case. Rich then uses his full-length die to “bump” a master case with the ideal amount of headspace for easy feeding and extraction. He takes that case and sets it in this Stub Gauge, and measures from the front of the gauge to the rim. He can then quickly compare any fired case to a his “master” case with optimal headspace. Since the gauge measures off the shoulder datum, this tells him how much to bump his fired brass.
In addition, the Stub Gauge can be used to set bullet seating-depth. Rich has a channel cut transversely on one side of the gauge, exposing the throat area. Since the interior of the gauge is identical to the chamber in his gun, this lets him see where a seated bullet engages the rifling. He can tinker with bullet seating length until he gets just the right amount of land contact on the bullet, confirmed visually. Then he measures the case OAL and sets his seating dies accordingly. This is much handier than using a Stoney Point Tool to measure distance to the lands. As your barrel’s throat wears, you may seat your bullets out further to “chase the lands”, but the gauge provides a constant land engagement point, in the barrel’s “as new” condition. By measuring the difference between the land contact point on the gauge and the actual contact point on your barrel, you can determine throat “migration”.
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